Archery Bow Bracket

ABSTRACT

A bracket for on a bow used in archery is provided. The bracket includes a cradle that can support an apparatus such as a light at a location such that the light can be operated by a finger of the hand holding the bow. The cradle can be adjusted in a horizontal and vertical plane such that apparatus on the cradle is pointed in the direction that an arrow is to be shot and at the same time be easily activated.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to archery. More particularly, a bracket having multiple adjustments for attaching a light or other apparatus that is pointed in the direction of the arrow and in a location for manual activation is disclosed.

2. Description of Related Art

There are a variety of designs of bows and equipment to use with the bow in the field of archery equipment. For example, improved sights for use in archery have been developed recently, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,515, which is hereby incorporated by reference. For use in hunting certain wild animals, such as hogs, lights on the bow may be used in some areas, since the animals are very destructive of the environment in those areas. Lights now available include the “Hawglite,” described at www.hawglite.com. That light is mounted on a bow and electrically connected to batteries by an electrical cord, and may be activated by a pressure-sensitive switch mounted on the grip of the bow

There is a need for a simpler apparatus that can be attached to bows to allow use of a separate portable light or other apparatus that is to be pointed in the direction that the bow is aimed. Such apparatus should allow use of different portable lights that are readily available and that can be readily interchanged on a bow.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A bracket is provided for attaching to bows using the stabilizer hole normally present on a bow or a similar threaded hole. The bracket allows fixing a portable light that is directed in the direction of an arrow shot from the bow and is adjustable in vertical and horizontal planes and in position and distance with respect to the bow. A camera or other apparatus may be used in place of the portable light.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 depicts a hunter using a bow and arrow and aiming at a wild hog.

FIG. 2 illustrates one form of bow that may be used with the bracket disclosed herein.

FIG. 3 is a top view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein before adjustment.

FIG. 4 is a front view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein before adjustment.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein before adjustment.

FIG. 6 is a top view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein after adjustment.

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of one embodiment of the bracket disclosed herein after adjustment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bow, held by a bow hand with a light held by the bracket disclosed herein being positioned for activation by a finger of the bow hand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a prospective view of bow 10 with arrow 14 being used by a hunter at night to shoot wild animal 12. The bow contains sight 16, which is an accessory often used on bows, and bracket 18, disclosed herein, shown attached to the bow. Bracket 18 will have a light attached thereto when hunting at night, but may have a camera when hunting by day.

Referring to FIG. 2, bow 20 is shown. One embodiment of bow 20 has body 21, grip 22, eccentrics 23 and stabilizer hole 25. Stabilizer hole 25 may be used for a variety of accessories such as a reel, for example, when the bow is used for bow fishing. Most commonly it is used for a stabilizer, which is used to stabilize the bow when shooting. For some bows, such as a long bow, a bracket may be attached to the bow to supply support for a bracket of this invention. The bracket would be attached normally to the limb bolts. If a bow is factory made recurve, it normally has a stabilizer hole. If the bow is custom-made, a stabilizer hole will often be requested. Bracket 18, attached in stabilizer hole 25, is disclosed herein. Other forms of fasteners, such as clamps, may be used to attach bracket 18 to a bow. Bracket 18, as will be fully described below, was designed to be adjustable in a horizontal and a vertical plane. Also, the location of apparatus supported by bracket 18 from and along the bow is adjustable.

Referring to FIG. 3 a top view of bracket 18 holding light or other apparatus 37 is shown. Bow thumb screw 30 is used for adjusting bolt threads 32 into the stabilizer hole of a bow. The size of these threads is standard in most bows, but the threads may be adapted for any particular bow. Although threads 32 are illustrated for fastening bracket 18 to a bow, other fasteners may be used. Bolts 34, which may be Allen head bolts, are used to adjust the position of a device that is attached to the bow through threads 32. Vertical plane adjustment thumb screws 35, threaded on a shaft, may be used to move cradle 36 in a vertical plane by rotation around the shaft. Cradle 36 may have pin light or other light 37 fastened to the cradle by bands or retainers 38, which may be rubber, plastic or metal bands. Alternatively, a threaded fastener may be used. Although penlight 37 is illustrated, other apparatus such as a movie or still camera may be used in cradle 36. Preferably the diameter of light or apparatus 37 is less than about 2 inches, or more preferably less than about 1 inch, and an activation switch, described below, is preferably on the rear of the apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 4, a front view of bracket 18 is shown. Cradle 36 holds light or apparatus 37. If device 37 is a light, it may have lens 37 a which may be of various colors such as red, green, or blue, for hunting of various types of game. For example, a red lens is found to be particularly effective for wild hogs, since it does not attract the attention of hogs as much as white light. Vertical plane adjustment thumb screw 35, attached to a horizontal shaft, may be used to aim light 37 in the preferred angle in a vertical plane. Slotted flat bar 41 may be used to hold Allen head bolts 34, used for adjusting the vertical position of cradle 36 and the distance of cradle 36 from a bow. Alternatively, other members adjustable in length or distance from the fastener attached to a bow, such as a telescoping member, may be used. The angle of slotted flat bar 41 with respect to vertical may be selected to allow optimal placement of cradle 36. In one embodiment, slotted flat bar 41 may be curved.

Referring to FIG. 5, the parts described above and below are shown in an elevation view. Slotted flat bar 41 is shown as straight. In this view, horizontal plane adjustment thumb screw 51, which is on a vertical shaft that passes through slotted bar 41 and is threaded into the support for cradle 36, may be loosened and tightened to allow adjustment of the direction of cradle 36 in a horizontal plane. Activation switch 37 b is shown at the back of device 37. Device 37 may be one of the widely available LED lights, such as a Streamlight “Stylist,” or a “SunLight Jr.” Activation switch 37 b is preferably a tail cap switch or pressure switch.

FIG. 6 shows the parts described above with cradle 36 adjusted in a horizontal plane. FIG. 7 shows the parts as described above with cradle 36 adjusted in the vertical plane. The adjustment in the horizontal plane is made with thumbscrew 51 and the adjustment in the vertical plane is made with thumbscrew 35, preferably by loosening and retightening the thumbscrews. In another embodiment, cradle 36 is moved and held in a selected direction by a friction mechanism (not shown) that is formed by friction between the shaft and the shaft holder. The friction may be controlled by application of a spring force. The position of cradle 36 with respect to the bow may be adjusted by moving the flat bar, as explained above. With the multiple adjustments, it is possible to place activation switch 37 b (FIG. 5) at the optimum location for manual activation, with light 37 aimed in the direction that an arrow will be shot.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of sight 16 on bow 21, bow 21 being held by bow hand 80. The position along slotted flat bar 41 has been adjusted using bolts 34 such that activation finger 82 and light 37 having switch 37 b is positioned such that switch 37 b can be activated by activation finger 82. This may be achieved by adjusting the position of bracket 36 using bolts 34. Light or apparatus 37 is aimed in the direction of an arrow being shot using adjustment thumb screws 35 and 51. The position of the light on cradle 36 can be adjusted, using bands 38 such that finger 82 will be a selected distance from switch 37 b. When hunting hogs at night, switch 37 b is normally not activated until the bow hunter is ready to shoot. When the light is turned on, the hunter can shoot very quickly.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific details, it is not intended that such details should be regarded as limitations on the scope of the invention, except to the extent that they are included in the accompanying claims. 

1. A bracket adapted to attach to a bow and support an apparatus, comprising: a connector adapted to fasten to the bow; a member having an upper end and a lower end and attached to the connector, the upper end having an adjustable location with respect to the connector; and a cradle attached to the member, the cradle having a fastener and being supported by shafts in perpendicular directions such that the cradle may be rotated on the shafts in a vertical and a horizontal plane and held in a selected direction.
 2. The bracket of claim 1 wherein the connector is a screw sized to be placed in a hole in the bow.
 3. The bracket of claim 1 wherein the member having an adjustable length is a slotted flat bar.
 4. The bracket of claim 1 wherein the fastener of the cradle is a band.
 5. The bracket of claim 1 wherein the cradle is held the selected direction by turning a thumb screw on a shaft.
 6. The bracket of claim 3 wherein the slotted flat bar is curved.
 7. A device for archery, comprising: a bow; a bracket attached to the bow to support an apparatus, the bracket comprising; a connector fastened to the bow; a member having an upper end and a lower end and attached to the connector, the upper end having an adjustable location with respect to the connector; and a cradle attached to the member, the cradle having a fastener and being supported by shafts in perpendicular directions such that the cradle may be rotated on the shafts in a vertical and a horizontal plane and held in a selected direction.
 8. The bracket of claim 7 wherein the connector is a screw sized to be placed in a hole in the bow.
 9. The bracket of claim 7 wherein the member having an adjustable length is a slotted flat bar.
 10. The bracket of claim 7 wherein the fastener of the cradle is a band.
 11. The bracket of claim 7 wherein the cradle is held the selected direction by turning a thumb screw on a shaft.
 12. The bracket of claim 9 wherein the slotted flat bar is curved.
 13. A method for hunting with a bow and arrow, comprising: attaching the bracket of claim 1 to the bow; attaching a light to the cradle and adjusting the light to the direction of the arrow; aiming the arrow; activating the light; and shooting the arrow. 